Can somebody explain something stupid to me? What exactly is wrong with Chromium? Does Google have backdoor access to anyone who’s running a Chromium based program or something?
They abuse the fuck out of their monopoly, basically.
They made changes to limit the usefulness of adblockers (Manifest V3), they tried to force a remote attestation API (WEI API) a few years back that would let them do stuff like fully block users who aren’t running locked-down operating systems from using online banking software or accessing Youtube, they added many chrome-specific web APIs that are extremely helpful for fingerprinting and lock users into the chrome ecosystem, etc.
And if you’re running stock chromium, there’s a fuckton of telemetry calling home to Google servers constantly.
And browser is such a complex piece of software that you cannot just fork it easily and change those things within a weekend with a bunch of unpaid volunteers.
As a web dev I hate the trend of websites relying on chromium-specific quirks, there are a handful of sites I need to use which refuse to work in any non-chromium browser, and customer support will always tell you to just use chrome as if you’re not a normal person for using Firefox. So yeah what’s wrong with chromium to me is that it’s the new internet explorer when it comes to web standards. Websites and large businesses can afford to just not care if they are following web standards as long as it works in chrome, and if you have a problem it’s your fault for not using chrome.
Someone at work made a “who on earth uses FireFox” comment recently, like it was some obscure and inferior / outdated software (our company includes FF as part of the standard image for both PC and Mac users). I did not go into my “why chromium is evil” rant, but I did tell them how to adjust their settings to fix some performance issues they were having with it. I’m pretty sure they still switched to Chrome.
This is why I switched from LibreWolf. If I had to have a Chromium browser installed as a backup anyway for few important sites, I might as well use Chromium. Imo Chromium has won. It owns the web landscape. I’ve given up
I use LibreWolf, and I do have issues with a few sites (my local utility company’s bill pay only works on chromium), but I still refuse to use a chromium based browser except for those specific sites.
It is inconvenient, but it can still make a difference. If sites that have chromium only functionality see that enough FireFox users are trying to use the site, they may update it. I know web devs check those kinds of metrics.
Why don’t you at least use Ungoogled Chromium, Cromite, or Helium Browser? At least they prioritize security and privacy equally while not being tied to Ghoulgle.
Do you have an issue with desktop Cromite where the browser just straight up freezes except for maybe the menu button? I’d chalk up to being a Debian Linux weirdo, but my work-provided Windows 11 laptop also has this particular issue in the flesh. I switched back to Ungoogled Chromium because of it, and also cause I want uBlock Origin and no less.
Can somebody explain something stupid to me? What exactly is wrong with Chromium? Does Google have backdoor access to anyone who’s running a Chromium based program or something?
They abuse the fuck out of their monopoly, basically.
They made changes to limit the usefulness of adblockers (Manifest V3), they tried to force a remote attestation API (WEI API) a few years back that would let them do stuff like fully block users who aren’t running locked-down operating systems from using online banking software or accessing Youtube, they added many chrome-specific web APIs that are extremely helpful for fingerprinting and lock users into the chrome ecosystem, etc.
And if you’re running stock chromium, there’s a fuckton of telemetry calling home to Google servers constantly.
And browser is such a complex piece of software that you cannot just fork it easily and change those things within a weekend with a bunch of unpaid volunteers.
So basicaly everything that made it through the android-google ecosystem also made it through chromium, is my take
Unless you’re using Brave :)
Lol actually
You can’t. It doesn’t exist.
It gives Google hegemony over web standards.
As a web dev I hate the trend of websites relying on chromium-specific quirks, there are a handful of sites I need to use which refuse to work in any non-chromium browser, and customer support will always tell you to just use chrome as if you’re not a normal person for using Firefox. So yeah what’s wrong with chromium to me is that it’s the new internet explorer when it comes to web standards. Websites and large businesses can afford to just not care if they are following web standards as long as it works in chrome, and if you have a problem it’s your fault for not using chrome.
Someone at work made a “who on earth uses FireFox” comment recently, like it was some obscure and inferior / outdated software (our company includes FF as part of the standard image for both PC and Mac users). I did not go into my “why chromium is evil” rant, but I did tell them how to adjust their settings to fix some performance issues they were having with it. I’m pretty sure they still switched to Chrome.
Yeah, we’re back to the days of websites only supporting Internet Explorer because of proprietary features and weird quirks.
That’s valid too. Thanks for pointing that out
This is why I switched from LibreWolf. If I had to have a Chromium browser installed as a backup anyway for few important sites, I might as well use Chromium. Imo Chromium has won. It owns the web landscape. I’ve given up
I use LibreWolf, and I do have issues with a few sites (my local utility company’s bill pay only works on chromium), but I still refuse to use a chromium based browser except for those specific sites.
It is inconvenient, but it can still make a difference. If sites that have chromium only functionality see that enough FireFox users are trying to use the site, they may update it. I know web devs check those kinds of metrics.
In technology, victory is fleeting.
Why don’t you at least use Ungoogled Chromium, Cromite, or Helium Browser? At least they prioritize security and privacy equally while not being tied to Ghoulgle.
Do you have an issue with desktop Cromite where the browser just straight up freezes except for maybe the menu button? I’d chalk up to being a Debian Linux weirdo, but my work-provided Windows 11 laptop also has this particular issue in the flesh. I switched back to Ungoogled Chromium because of it, and also cause I want uBlock Origin and no less.
At least Cromite Android has extensions.
@Chaunticleer this sums up many concerns (at least mine)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/chrome-users-beware-manifest-v3-deceitful-and-threatening
@Chaunticleer https://amifloced.org/
Thank you